Something to Declare: Cyprus, Easter trains, Buzz not off, yet
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Your support makes all the difference.Destination of the week: Cyprus
British Airways passengers may be surprised to find themselves landing on Aphrodite's isle when they expected to be in the Gulf. Because of the rising tension in the Middle East, the airline has added an extra stop at Larnaca for its flights from the UK to Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah and Kuwait. BA crews will no longer "night-stop" in the region; they will instead fly from Cyprus to the Gulf and back in a single shift.
Despite an influx of air crews, the island is suffering from a lack of real visitors. Cyprus Airways has plenty of seats between Heathrow and Larnaca. at £158 return Through the website www.opodo.co.uk it is selling a few midweek night flights for travel in March for as little as £121 return. Double rooms at the five-star Elysium in Paphos are available for CY£60 (£75) including breakfast, through Cyprus Hotels Online (0870 770 5382).
Warning of the week: Easter trains
Anyone hoping to travel by rail between London Paddington station, Heathrow airport, the west of England and South Wales over Easter is likely to be disappointed. The main line terminus is to be closed completely from Good Friday through to Easter Monday for signalling work resulting from the Ladbroke Grove disaster. Most services on First Great Western and Thames Trains will terminate at Ealing Broadway, where passengers can transfer to the Central Line, if the Tube service has started running by then. Virgin Trains to and from Liverpool and Manchester will start and stop at Birmingham New Street. The Heathrow Express service will close down altogether for the four days from 18 to 21 April.
Over the following bank holiday, in the first weekend of May, Eurostar services linking London with Brussels and Paris will be noticeable by their complete absence on 4 May.
Bargain of the week: Buzz not off, yet
Despite losing £100,000 per day, the Stansted-based no-frills airline (0870 240 7070, www.buzzaway.com) has not yet stopped flying; it will be grounded for the month of April. But many passengers appear to think it has already closed down, judging by the bargains being sold online. A weekend in Frankfurt from 21-24 March is available for £42 return. Seats to many provincial French destinations are on offer for under £100 return, including Dijon (£91) and Toulouse (£71).
If you want to be on the very last Buzz flight, UK2547 from Berlin on 31 March, a day return to the German capital on that Sunday is available for £82 return.
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